Directories, almanacs and gazetteers

How can directories help with family history research?

Almanacs, post office and trade directories are useful for tracing the addresses and movements of ancestors. A listing in the directory can help to confirm a person’s whereabouts at a certain time, just as a sudden disappearance from the directory can provide a clue about the date of a person’s death. You can find information in Trade and professional directories about occupations, and some post office directories also include categories such as ecclesiastical, educational and pastoral directories.

What information can I find in directories?

Directories usually contain alphabetical lists of householders’ names and addresses, but the arrangement varies over time, and between publications. Not all directories list people in a single alphabetical index. Listing may be arranged geographically, under the name of the town or suburb, or arranged in street number order under the name of the street. Some directories list only people holding public office in the town.

Listing in a directory was neither compulsory nor free, so the fact that someone is not listed in the directory may simply indicate that s/he chose not to be included.

What directories are available at the State Library of Queensland?

Queensland

This is the collective name assigned to several Queensland directories issued between 1868 and 1949 by different publishers. The various directories have been have been collected into one chronological series and titled Queensland Post Office Directories.The main directories in the collection are:

Official Post Office Directory of Queensland (Professional, Squatting and Trade)

Brisbane Post Office Directory and Country Guide

Wise’s Queensland Post Office Commercial Directory

Arrangement varies throughout the editions but generally includes a trade/professional directory and an alphabetical section. The alphabetical section is sometimes split between Brisbane and country regions.

SLQ holds on microfiche post office directories between 1868 and 1949. Editions for 1868, 1874, 1876, 1878-79, 1885-1891, 1894-1905, 1907-9, 1911-15, 1919, 1921-28, 1930-31, 1933, 1936-38, 1941-42 and 1947 are also available on CD-ROM. The CD-ROMs are available at the desk in the Micrographics area on level 3.

Pugh’s Almanac [microfilm] (MFL 919.43). A Queensland wide directory and almanac, published under various titles between 1859 and 1927. Editions included all or some of the following sections: a Queensland almanac, Brisbane street map, a law calendar, directory, coast guide, gazetteer and a biographical dictionary of prominent citizens called ‘Men of the Time'. Pugh's almanac is also available on CD-ROM (QCFS 919.43) for the years 1859-1900; 1920 and 1926. Some are also available through Ancestry, available onsite only at SLQ.

Gazetteers

These are geographical dictionaries or books where the subject is dealt with especially in regard to geographic distribution and regional interest.

New South Wales Telephone Directory (Sydney 1889-1985; country exchanges 1915-1971 and 1973-1985) [microfiche] MFCS 384.6. CD-ROMs available for a number of years in 20th century.

Victoria

Post Office Directories

SLQ holds:

Official Post Office Directory for Victoria 1839 -1930 [microfiche] (MFCB 994.5025). The collective title for Post Office directories published by Sands and Kenny, Sands and MacDougall, Wise’s Directories and Bailliere’s Directories. Generally, these directories provided the names, residences and occupations of the inhabitants of the Colony inclusive of Melbourne and suburbs, arranged locally and alphabetically, with cross references. All are available under the title Official Post Office Directory on Open Access on microfiche. Also available on CD-ROM are the editions for 1859, 1861, 1865, 1879, 1892 and 1904.

South Australia

The following years of the South Australia directory (including the title Adelaide almanack, town & country directory and guide to South Australia) are available on CD-ROM at the Micrographics desk on level 3: 1847, 1864, 1867, 1902 and 1930.

1900/01 London phone book [CD-ROM] (QCFS 942.10025 200-). It is a reproduction of the original publication. It contains an alphabetical list of names and addresses of trades people and private residents.

SLQ holds many Australian and international directories, several now available on CD-ROM. Please check the One Search online catalogue, and consult the staff at the reference desk.